


Who Runs The World?

by bluelina, Quakerlol



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Ass-Kicking, Awesome Ladies, Gen, Multi, OCs - Freeform, short little sketches for now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-02-08 10:32:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1937559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluelina/pseuds/bluelina, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quakerlol/pseuds/Quakerlol
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two self-insert OCs have shenanigans in the Supernatural universe. They may or may not meet an angel? But for now they met, managed not to kill each other, and now somehow have become partners in crime :)</p><p>Here are the mixes we compiled for our ladies:<br/>http://8tracks.com/quakerlol/demons-dreaming-spnverse-side-a<br/>http://8tracks.com/quakerlol/this-is-no-fairytale-spnverse-side-b</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being the first installment of a quality self-insert AU that is entirely indulgent and ridiculous. Featuring two queer ladies, one styrofoam cup of coffee, one shitty parking lot, and the Bechdel test being passed like a grandma driving in the fast lane. Enjoy!

What Laura wanted, more than anything else, was to be left alone.

Oh sure, she wanted other things. A steady job, for one, maybe one where she didn't have to interact face-to-face with people so she wouldn't have to move around every five years or so. More money; she always needed more money, money was the grease that oiled the gears of mortal life. Maybe someone who she could actually talk to, that would be nice. But honestly what would make her life perfect would be a free pass to being left alone forever, by hunters and angels and the forces of hell and whatever other group wanted her dead these days. She was probably forgetting a few.

Of course, that wasn't going to happen any time soon. Right now she was settling for a minimum-wage waitress job in some dive bar off the highway. Checkered apron, nametag with the name of one of her fake identities, and sensible shoes. Even demons get tired after a 9-5 shift on their feet.

It was a day like any other, or the end of one. She was walking home and she was bone-tired. Work was a drag, customers were rude, and her boss was staring at her ass all shift. She was thinking of quitting, moving on again, when she noticed some movement out of the corner of her eye. A block later, she saw it again, on the other side. Now it was bothering her, so she picked up her pace. For a few blocks she tried to shake what was clearly a tail (muggers? hunters?) but they had some sort of lock on her, appearing around every turn. After about fifteen minutes of this, she decided to confront them. Better that they not find her home and she get stabbed than they follow her to her bolt-hole. She can always recover from a stabbing.

She turned around, leaning against a wall (brick, thin enough to slam through if she had to and if she had a running start, because she doubted they'd let her teleport away), and waited for them to surround her. Slowly a small crowd of people slipped out of the shadows and stood before her. They were a motley crew, definitely not hunters or muggers. There was a white woman in a business casual suit, blonde hair pulled back into a severe bun. A Latino man looking like he just stepped out of a board meeting, despite it being far too late for that. An Asian person of indeterminate gender, looking young enough to be grounded for being out so late in this part of town. There were a couple others, but those were the only ones brandishing weapons at her, so the background goons were less important. Of course, all of them were important, because all of them were demons. Obviously. It wasn't like they could hide it.

"You know, if you wanted to be inconspicuous, you could not act like you were following me. I mean, really, so cliche." False confidence- rule number one of sketchy and possibly life-threatening confrontations. Good job, Laura.

The teen brandished their knife, and Laura made an attempt to be even flatter against the wall than she already was without looking like she was doing it. "We are representatives of Abaddon, the new King of Hell. We are looking for recruits."

Laura laughed nervously. "Oh man, I am so not cut out for recruitment. I try to stay out of underworld politics, you know? Not my jam. Um, but I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time with the whole thing, especially if you let me on my way? Haha." She smiled, her gaze darting between the kid's face and the point of the knife.

The teen cocked their head. "If you are not with us," they said, "then you are against us." They motioned with their hand, and the other demons started advancing. Laura scanned the group nervously, looking for a way out, already conscious of the fact that they'd somehow blocked her teleporting ability, and wondering how likely she would be to be able to smash through the brick wall behind her.

"Hey! You!!" The advancing demons turned their heads to find the source of the sudden shout. "Yes you, leave the girl alone!" Laura thanked fortune for small miracles. It was a woman about the apparent age of Laura's vessel, in the standard leather-jacket-over-plaid-shirt that screamed "hunter." That and the knife she was brandishing made it pretty obvious. "She obviously doesn't want whatever it is you're offering!"

The demons were nearly all thoroughly distracted, but it wasn't yet time for Laura to make her escape. Several of the demons, especially the kid (the leader?), were still glancing back her way. "Yes, I'm talking to you," continued the hunter. That knife was definitely some sort of demon blade. Great. Laura just hoped that the hunter didn't get too stab-happy and hurt the "victim."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" spat the demon in the lady. The hunter rolled her eyes and whispered something under her breath. A shudder ran through the crowd of demons, and Laura blinked, momentarily disoriented, her eyes filming over red. Oh. She'd said the word. Well now she _knew_ that they were demons. On the one hand, good this was a hunter who had enough sense to say 'christo' to check if people were demons or just jerks. On the other hand, _Laura was a demon._ Hopefully the hunter hadn't been looking at the "victim," because if so the jig was up.

"Ugh, not this again," the woman said, shifting her weight. "I mean it's good not to be known by face like those bumbling Winchesters, but it makes introductions so much harder."

"A hunter!" the demon in the man cried- really? just now? the plaid and the knife weren't tipoffs? these demons had to be straight out of hell. "Get her!"

The demons charged, seemingly forgetting about Laura for the time being. Which was fine with her. She still couldn't teleport (they must have done something to the area) but she could sure as hell run. "Well NICE TO MEET YOU TOO!" she heard the hunter cry as they advanced on her. Laura caught a glimpse of the hunter executing a rather impressive somersault over the head of a demon before she took the opportunity to duck behind a trash can. She waited a few minutes, and when no demons came for her, she fled the scene, leaving the hunter to deal with them.

**

The next day was a Friday, and that meant early shift. Demons don't sleep, not as such, but she needed her downtime like everyone else. Little downtime meant cranky Laura. But she came to work as usual, adorned in red-checquered apron and sensible shoes. She ached for her blood-of-the-innocent-red lipstick and eyeliner sharp enough to pierce a battleship hull, but that would have to wait for the weekend. For now, it was neutral tones and the bare minimum that she was willing to put on. Nobody expects anyone to look pretty for the 6 AM shift.

The time was no longer 6 AM, but it didn't feel any more welcoming to her. She'd already endured three ass pinches from her manager, who she was alternately considering setting aflame or dragging through a spike pit. Where the spikes were made of sharks. And acid. Acid sharks. This incredibly philosophical train of thought carried her, distracted, all the way to the next table to get an order, and musing on whether the acid sharks would be made of acid or simply live in it got her through the robotic "Welcome to Pete's Oldstyle Roadside diner, may I take your order?" that she said to every guest, before she finally took in the customer's face. Unfortunately, this was the exact moment that the customer looked up at her. Laura had time to take in plaid shirt, straight dark hair, before the customer opened her mouth- "Coffee please, black, two sugars,"- before it clicked. Unluckily for her, it clicked a second before she felt that familiar shudder run through her, and she was forced to blink as red filled her vision over once again. Great. Great great great, she would take a million ass-pinchings to get out of this, and she managed a hurried "Coming right up-" before the hunter- damn her luck- grabbed her by the front of her apron.

"Whoa, hold it!" the hunter yelled, and heads turned in Laura's periphery. Ah yes, a scene was exactly what she needed today. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

"Ma'am, please calm down!" Laura pleaded aloud, holding up her hands in the international gesture of don't-hurt-me-I'm-not-threatening-you. In a hissing whisper through her teeth, she added "Are you serious right now, can we do this later?"

"In the back, five minutes," the hunter replied, "though your kind have never blanched at making a scene before." Her eyes were narrowed as she stood up and released Laura's apron. "And while you're at it, bring my coffee."

One hurried explanation to her manager involving an angry, paranoid ex-girlfriend later, Laura was behind the diner in the grimy dumpster area, clutching a polystyrene cup (black, two sugars). She shoved it at the hunter, who was slouching against the brick wall of the building. "What do you WANT," she spat as the hunter snatched the coffee out of her hands.

The demon could see the hunter winding up for a tirade, and she was not disappointed. "Explain yourself," the dark-haired hunter ordered. Laura folded her arms and waited for her to finish. "Now that I actually remember what happened last night, as far as I knew you were just a HUMAN being harassed by a bunch of douchebag demons. Why shouldn't I run you through? Why did I even go through the trouble of kicking their asses and saving yours!" She rubbed her tired-looking eyes. "No wonder I didn't sleep well, I knew something wasn't right."

"Wow, hey, rude!" the demon shot back. "Thanks for saving me and all, I guess, and no thanks for causing a scene in my workplace and nearly getting me fired!" She rolled her eyes. "You shouldn't stab me because I haven't *done* anything, jeez. Totes innocent."

"Oh yea, innocent. Sure." The hunter's tone was dripping with sarcasm. "Like I've ever met a DEMON that's been innocent. That's like the opposite of you!"

Such blatant stereotyping, really. The demon was almost offended. "Again, rude."

"It's not my day. Or my morning." Clearly, the demon thought. "And I haven't had my coffee! Also, you're a DEMON. Forgetting that?"

"Well," the demon pointed out, "I just gave you your damn coffee. And I only have like-" she checked her watch- "five more minutes, so could we make this quick? I have to finish my shift or my boss is gonna kill me."

"Fine," the hunter huffed. "When's your stupid shift over? And why are you working here anyway? Don't you have better things to do?" The hunter seemed to check herself. "Well, by better..."

Laura held up her hands in surrender. "Look, I'm done in two hours, today is a light day for me. Can we sort this out then? I promise not to corrupt any souls during the breakfast rush. Scout's honor." She crossed her heart to indicate her complete and utter sincerity.

"Uh huh. It's got a sense of humor." The hunter's tone was drier than bone. "Fine... you better still be here. I want an explanation"

"Triple rude! And ok, jeez. I'll meet you in the parking lot at 10:30." Laura rolled her eyes. "Bye, you jerk."

"Demon scum," the hunter spat, but the demon in question was already on her way back into the diner. She pivoted long enough to flip the bird at the hunter, who stomped off angrily. It was only by some miracle that the coffee didn't spill out of its styrofoam cup from the force of her frustration.

**

At the end of her shift, Laura left the restaurant. She had her folded apron in one hand and a glass Coke bottle in the other. An irritable look was clear on her face as she stepped into the parking lot. She saw the hunter before the hunter saw her, reclining in the passenger seat of some beat-up Subaru. She looked like she was flipping through some dusty-beat up notebook. Knowing hunters, it was probably full of hasty scribbles and half-remembered lore, and she'd probably inherited it from whatever family member died to get her into the hunting business. Ugh. Fucking hunters. Can't leave her in peace for five god-damned years.

The hunter folded herself out of the car at Laura's approach, leaving the notebook in the car and shutting the door. She leaned against the car, arms folded. "Okay, spill," she sighed. Honestly, she sounded more tired and frustrated than angry. Judging by the bags under her eyes, Laura figured she hadn't gotten much sleep between dispatching that horde of demons and running into her in the diner. "What's your deal, what was up with the creeps in the alley, blah blah blah."

The demon rubbed her temples, fending off what was shaping up to be a stabbing headache. Christ, she was hungry. "Where do you want me to start? How I got this job, how I got here on the "mortal plane," what?" She'd found over the years that sarcastic air-quotes were a pretty good response to anything. "You're gonna have to be more specific, I got a lot of history."

"Name, rank, and motive. Start with that," the hunter snapped.

Ugh. This drill. She thought she'd gotten away from that crap. "Name, Laura. I'm going by that now, might as well. Rank, none, don't give a literal damn about hell politics. Motive, I would very much like to be left alone. Happy?" She prayed to every single being with any chance of granting wishes that this would be enough for her to be left alone. Fat chance, though. 

"Fine." The hunter paused for a moment, considering her words. After a beat, she looked up at Laura, her brow furrowed slightly. "Left alone? As in no deal-making soul-taking and otherwise painful and unpleasant... stuff?"

Laura snorted derisively. "Yeah. Well, once, but that's a long story and it ended fine. I don't want any part of that. Makes me too accountable to certain other parties. Also left alone by hunters! That is a big part of it." Any _normal_ person would have picked up on that hint, but the hunter just steamrolled right over it.

"Well, you are certainly a dilemma." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "What about the creeps in the alley?"

"The kid in charge said they were recruiting. Emissaries of Abaddon." Laura casually watched the hunter's face, waiting for her reaction. Most every hunter had a sob story, and recently Abaddon had become the number one threat to the supernatural community. If she was a vanilla mortal, this hunter was too young to have started more than five, maybe seven years ago, so there was a good likelihood Abaddon (or one of her toadies, or just a generic demon) featured in this girl's tragic past.

"Abbadon?" Bingo. The hunter's hand flew to the scars running from her temple down her cheek, and Laura knew she'd hit the jackpot. "That BITCH! I am SO glad I killed them." The hunter ground her teeth and her other hand flexed near her hip, where a knife or a gun could be holstered. She looked up at Laura, a flame burning in her eyes. "She killed my only family. About every hunter's sob story." She seemed to consider the demon before her. "Well I can't imagine anyone decent ever going along with her, so I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt."

Laura rubbed the back of her neck, shifting from foot to foot. "Um, thanks? I'm not sure if that was a compliment?" She sighed and looked at the hunter plaintively. "Anyway, yeah, that's my deal, now can you please not stab me."

"I haven't got my knife in hand, don't you worry your pretty little demon mind." Laura'd been at the business end of enough knives to know that just because it isn't visible doesn't mean it isn't a threat, so this didn't reassure her much. The hunter gave her another searching look, like she was sizing her up for something. "So you just want me to leave you alone so you can keep working in that shabby diner, for what, another couple years before they notice something's up and then move on? Seems like a shitty sort of life."

"Eh." Laura shrugged. "It pays the bills. And there isn't a lot you can do in this world if they aren't getting paid. I mean, what else am I gonna do?"

The demon was really, _really_ starting to dislike the way the hunter was looking at her. "I'm not saying I trust you, but you are intriguing." What? Laura opened her mouth to voice her confusion, but the hunter just kept on going. "And it might help to have someone who knows how to stay out of sight. I don't exactly want to be fighting you lot all my life until I slip up and die." 'You lot'? Rude! Laura thought she'd made it pretty clear that she wasn't to be lumped in with those guys. The hunter continued. "I'm not a Winchester, certainly not that suicidal. Hmm... What can you do? Can you fight?"

Laura held up her hands, her eyes widening. "Whoa whoa whoa. Slow the fuck down. Why do I get the feeling _you're_ trying to recruit me? Do you not remember the whole "I wanna be left alone" thing?"

The hunter's hands went to her hips, and the demon nearly jumped before realizing that she was just doing an exasperated stance. "Well alright, keep working in this shithole. See if I care!" Her tone was dryly sarcastic."Getting yelled at by some idiotic human who doesn't even know what you can do or who you really are! I mean, I _do_ get tired of lying to everyone, but how would I know? You're a demon, maybe that's just what you like to do."

Peeved, Laura crossed her arms. "Well maybe I do! But maybe I'd rather keep on moving from town to town than do so in the company of someone who has shown a distressing tendency to cause scenes for no reason and threaten me! I mean, yeah, sometimes I get bored. But how do I know I can trust you?"

"I didn't say I trust you either," the hunter retorted. "But it's not like it's going to be any fun for me to kill you without finding out what you're capable of!" Laura really, really, _really_ didn't like the gleam in her eyes. "Never seen a demon up close this long. Otherwise I would be dead." Oh no. Oh no, she was getting _curious._ "Can you really teleport? Can you take anything with you?" The hunter was definitely ignoring her now, more wrapped up in her own thoughts than anything. "And if I'm even thinking about taking you with me, you have to help me, hence you need to know how to fight, not only flee and hide."

At this point, any argument Laura made against this ludicrous idea would be ignored, so she decided to pick her battles. "Maybe the middle of the day in a parking lot is not the best time to have this conversation? I mean, hello, demons are not exactly common knowledge."

The hunter snorted. "There's no-one around, dumbass. And it's not like we're shouting anymore." Yeah, and thank hell for that. "But fine, if you want to go somewhere else, be my guest. Where are you staying? I slept in the back of my car."

Well that was just sad, but still no reason for Laura to pity her. "I am _not_ giving away my bolt-hole's location to a hunter, no matter how pretty she is."

The hunter put her hand to her heart in mock-bashfulness. "Aw thank you, demon. So flattered. Anyway, you're the one who's complaining about talking outside" She walked around the front of the car and placed her hand on the door's handle. "Will you be my guest then and deign to grace my car with your hellish presence?"

Eh, why the hell not. Her passenger seat probably wasn't booby-trapped. Laura swept an exaggerated bow and opened the car door. "Certainly, my Mortal Madame."

The hunter slid into the driver's seat and scooped up a pile of notebooks that were taking up most of the passenger seat's space. "There, happy?"

Laura slid in. "It'll do." She left the door open, though. Never close off escape routes unnecessarily. She turned to face the hunter. "So what, you want me to quit my job, pack my shit, and join you in the life of a hunter? I don't even know your name."

"It's Alina," the hunter said, having evidently not learned her lesson about not giving away your true name. Although to be fair, it could be a nickname. Alina. What was that, Slavic? Russian? Something that wasn't whitebread Americana for sure. "And  why not? Whats holding you here?" Alina swept her hand in a gesture that encompassed the shitty diner and its even shittier sun-baked parking lot. "I'm bored, you're lonely, lets go kick shit in the ass! Well, of course, there is the whole issue of you being a demon who is very likely to stab me in the back, but I think we can work past that." She was bouncing up and down in her seat, like a hyperactive child being given an unexpected gift. Laura couldn't help but smile.

"I like your attitude."

Alina approximated a bow as best she could in the front seat of a Subaru. "Why thank you. Does that mean yes?"

Laura looked at her life. She looked at her choices. Before her two roads diverged, in an asphalt shithole rather than a yellow wood. Still, the moment retained its significance despite less-than-poetic setting. On one path, a life of nigh-eternal drudgery, at least until a) she won the lottery (it was bound to happen someday, after fiftysome years of trying) or b) some hunter ran into her who was far less lenient than Alina. Someone of the ultra-macho, plaid-and-leather, stab first and ask questions never crowd. On the other path.... well. Way more possibilities. Traveling with a hunter was dangerous, even for a demon. Maybe especially for a demon, given a hunter's tools of the trade (it was honestly a miracle that she'd managed to work in that diner for so long, what with all the salt they put in their food) and tendency to attract other similarly soul-challenged beings. That wasn't even counting the various and sundry things that went bump in the night that hunters actively _sought out_ instead of keeping their heads down like people without a goddamn death wish. Then again... Alina did seem nice. For a hunter. She hadn't stabbed her on sight, at least. Also, she had a little R2-D2 figurine glued next to her speedometer. That was pretty cute. And it would be nice, after fifty years of running, to have someone to actually fucking talk to.

She put her head in her hands and exhaled, a long gusting breath. This was such a bad idea. She straightened up and ran her fingers through her hair, looking at Alina and shrugging. "Hell, why not. You seem dumb enough to trust me."

Alina's face broke out into a smile happier than it had any right to be given that a demon had just called her dumb. "I'm going to ignore that jab, because we are going to declare a truce. As long as you don't do anything suspicious, I won't try to maim or mortally injure you, 'kay? You can fight, right?

"Truce accepted." This was a terrible, terrible call. She was going to get shanked in the back within a week. The fact that this was preferable over the life she'd been leading previously really said something. "And sure I can, I'm awesome at fighting."

"Good, because I am a horrible teacher!"

God, she was cute. It was hard to reconcile the grinning girl still bouncing in her seat- christ, how young was she? couldn't be more than twenty-five- with the hunter from last night, armed only with a knife and her wits, roaring a challenge to all comers. Laura dragged her hands down her face in resignation. "Rad. Well, here's the deal." She started enumerating options on her fingers. "I can either give two-week's notice or start enough shit that I get fired. Two-week's gets me more money but fired gets me out of here quicker."

The hunter frowned. "I knew you were gonna say something to ruin the moment... You can't just leave? Disappeeeeeaaaar?" She waggled her fingers and _wooooo_ -ed in some schoolchild's approximation of a ghost. Laura rolled her eyes.

"Of course not! That's not how jobs work." Had this hunter ever held down an actual job, or did she transition into credit fraud and murder charges straight out of middle school?

Alina nodded. "Ah, money. Of cooooourse." She seemed to consider the options for a moment. "It's not like it would be hard for you to cause enough shit to be fired. Right? Or that you wouldn't enjoy it? Even a little bit?"

Laura feigned indignation. "Hey, I like some of the people I work with." Well, one of them. She shrugged again. "But yeah, I guess I should just get fired. Give me like a day. You can crash at my place if you don't touch my stuff."

"Wooo!" Alina punched the car roof in jubilation. Then she turned to the demon, eyes wide with feigned shock. "Wait, are you a hoarder?"

Laura scoffed. "What, no? I just have some sweet stuff. I've been around for a while, I've collected some valuable things." Signed Beatles albums, space program memorabilia that was probably worth a fortune by now, some autographed jerseys, stolen jewelry... you know, mementos. Alina probably didn't need to know about the stolen jewelry. That was more for financial insurance than sentiment.

"Okay, good," Alina replied. "I've had some strange experiences with things that have lived too long and gone loony. Sweet stuff is good! So can you show me your home base now?"

"Yeah, sure." The hunter turned the key in the ignition and put the car into reverse. The demon told her the address of her crappy apartment and gave her an idea of where it was in the town, and they were off. 


	2. oh no she's hot

The night was progressing fairly normally for Laura. Her partner was inside packing the rest of their things into duffel bags, mainly shotguns wrapped in clothes to keep them from clinking, and she was leaning against the car playing Candy Crush. She was supposed to be inside it but whatever, it was a nice night out. It had just rained and the mist rising off the asphalt almost looked like wispy ghosts in the light of the single buzzing streetlamp. All was peaceful but for the soft tapping of her finger against the phone screen. All, that is, until the shot rang out.

Laura dropped to the ground, more out of trained reflexes than the searing pain in her shoulder. It felt like someone was driving a white-hot poker into her skin, which was not a sensation she had enjoyed the first time and was no more fun now. She heard the distinct tread of heavy boots on pavement, and sighed. Great. Another hunter. Ten to one they were either wearing plaid or leather, double score if it was both. Cautiously she stood up, the bullet clattering to the asphalt as her skin healed, hands raised above her head in the universal gesture of "please do not shoot." One was still holding the iPhone, the peppy music of her game providing a strange soundtrack to the encounter.

At first she couldn't see the hunter, but she was kind enough to step into the streetlight. And she was definitely female. Across the roof of the car Laura could see a gun held steadily in front of an objectively attractive blonde, hair falling in an impractical cascade to one side. Points for cliche; she was wearing leather pants and jacket, but no plaid. Laura mustered her best winning smile, taking care not to look directly into the hunter's eyes. They tended to get jumpy when you did that.

"Hello," she said cheerfully. "How can I help you today?"

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't end you right here, demon," the hunter spat, a muscle jumping in her jaw but otherwise utterly composed. Laura's smile faltered slightly. Okay, so it wasn't just an educated guess on the hunter's part. That meant either psychic or an artifact to help her tell, or, worst case, someone had circulated her description among the hunter community. Which was really the main disadvantage of only having one vessel for sixty years.

"My winning personality and charming smile?" That earned her a clenching of the finger on the trigger, and she hurried to correct her words. "The fact that my partner, who is a hunter /just like you/, is going to be investigating that rather loud gunshot soon?" That got her a confused look, and a slight slackening of the grip as the hunter tried to figure that one out.

"Look, I'm going to walk around the car veeeeeeeery slowly and then you will be able to shoot me better so good for you, I'm giving up my cover, see what a nice trustworthy person I am?" While she spoke, Laura shuffled around the hood of the car, keeping her hands up and her eyes locked on the hunter's gun. "We are going to have a nice conversation like civilized people and nobody is going to do any shooting and everything is going to be fine, won't that be nice?" She stepped between the hunter and the car, awkwardly sideways-walking until she was directly in front of her. The hunter was about ten or fifteen feet away, within jumping distance if she wanted to start something, but the gun was still trained unerringly on her torso so Laura definitely wasn't going to start anything. Besides, she thought Alina would put her in the doghouse if she jumped a hunter.

She stared at the hunter, still smiling. The tinny music of Candy Crush finally cut off, leaving an awkward silence that stretched into the night. "So...." Laura rolled the word around in her mouth, letting it drop onto the pavement. "Got a name?"

The hunter snorted. "What kind of question is that?"

Laura shrugged, as nonchalant as she could be with her hands in the air and a gun aimed right between her eyes. "Just making small talk, waiting for my partner to show up. I have a feeling you'll want to listen to her, seeing as she is completely human and you apparently have a thing against people like me." She glanced over at the motel door, but it remained unopened. Alina had probably gone into crisis mode at the gunshot, making sure everything was secure before investigating. She was good like that. "Even though, you know, I haven't done anything."

"You stole a body," the hunter snarled, "and I don't even want to know what sort of hellish things you've done for however long you've been here."

Laura bent one of her arms so she could scratch an itch on the back of her head. "I mean, I've done eighty in a forty-mph zone before, but it was three in the morning and I had a very good reason. Uh. I ripped the tag off my mattress once? Is that what this is about?" Her attempt at levity did nothing to calm the hunter, who only frowned.

The door swung open, not sharply enough to overly startle the hunter, but fast enough that she saw the person coming out of the door immediately. Her hands were full of bags that she put carefully on the ground, maintaining eye contact as she slowly and clearly said, "Now please, lets not fire any hasty shots here."

She must stay calm and composed, there will be time later to freak out, dear lord that blonde is so attractive and she has a MOTORCYCLE? But Alina reached down to her waistband saying, "I'm just going to put my gun down, and then you can put down yours, and then we'll talk, okay?" She took it out slowly, not pointing at anyone, and waited for the hunter to acknowledge her.

A smile broke across Laura's face, the kind she tended to get when it was one in the morning and Alina wasn't awake to stop her from driving like she had a body wired full of explosives in the trunk (which had only happened once). "Hey, way to show up, honey! My arms were getting tired. Mind dealing with the meatbag for me?" The hunter froze, her eyes darting between the women, clearly confused. Laura's tone settled into a comfortable drawl, mirroring the accent of her vessel's original inhabitant. "So now that you know I'm not lying, how's about you put that away and we all settle this like civilized individuals?"

"Laura! Rudeness does not help your case. How many times do I have to tell you not to insult people who are pointing weapons at you! I would think you would have learned!"

"How do I know she's not one of your soldiers of Hell, with a ten-year contract or some shit like that?" the hunter spat, her gun still pointed firmly at the demon.

"Sorry dear, Isabelle? Is that your name? I would be able to explain everything if you just put down your gun." Alina tried to calmly say with a smile. Then she turned slightly and her eyebrows furrowed as she spat out of the corner of her mouth, "Just shut up Laura, you're not helping at all."

Alina put her gun down on the ground. "There, see? I don't mean you any harm. I can promise you I don't want to do anything to you as long as you don't hurt either of us, and I can swear by any code or god you believe in that I am pure and none but my own motives govern me."

Laura rolled her eyes and made a lip-locking motion with her hand, biting back several retorts about "purity" and the like.

The hunter-Isabelle, because that was indeed her name, was visibly startled. "How did you know my name?" She swung her gun at Alina, forgetting for the moment about the literal demon in front of her.

"I am a psychic, which is one of the ways I can assure you that Laura here," she put emphasis on the name, how hard was it to accept another kind of person, really? "does not have any covert demonic-y motives, other than perhaps occasionally freaking out small children by baring her teeth at them, and has no interest in any contracts, especially since they give her no direct gain or satisfaction. I can tell when people lie, and before you ask, I mean demons as well, and I have tested this, though by slightly unsavoury means." A look not unlike a determined satisfaction crossed her features. "Her bark is worse than her bite, I mean to say. And if you put down your gun, I can keep her in check, as I have for many years around other untrusting hunters." She gave Laura an apologetic look, I know I'm overdoing it, but she really needs to be convinced. She hoped this time she wouldn’t have to use her spray bottle of holy water, it really put Laura in a bad mood, and she didn’t need any more of that right now.

The hunter was wary, but slowly- and stealing glances at Laura all the while, who was occupied in nothing more interesting than scratching the back of her head- replaced her gun in its holster on her hip. "Fine," she spat, venom never leaving her voice. "But if you try anything-"

Laura could no longer resist the temptation to make a smart remark. "Sweetheart, the only thing that's likely to be tried on you is Alina attempting to bore you to death, or spray you in the face with holy water, which given your zealotic nature would likely do nothing for you, so don't worry about it." She glanced over at Alina, only slightly apologetic for breaking the "shut up" rule. Assured that the hunter probably wasn't going to be shooting at her anymore, she stuffed her hands in her jeans pockets. "So since we just checked out, what do you say we talk over what I am sure must have been a stunning revelation for you in like ten minutes at an all-night diner? I know one down the highway, makes great eggs."

The hunter spluttered, obviously winding up for another tirade against all of demonkind, but Laura only yawned and looked over to her partner for confirmation of plans, as casually as if they were planning a business meeting over dinner.

Alina rolled her eyes. Of course she couldn't resist. Ah well, it was nice to be backed up.

"Isabelle, was it? It doesn't look like you're one of the ones that would just turn around and leave us alone without an explanation, so could we take it to somewhere... else? You can follow us on your bike, we were just leaving anyway," she pointed at the bags, "so are you assured enough that we mean you no unprovoked harm that we can trust you not to call up any backup to blow us all to kingdom come? I have no other body, and Laura would have a hard time finding another coma patient she liked the facial structure of."

The hunter gritted her teeth. "Fine. I'll go with you. But you had better not try anything funny. And you better have a damn good explanation as to why you're working with a demon." 

Laura pointed finger guns at the hunter. "It's a date, then! Let me help you with those bags, sugar." She crossed over to Alina, making a point to turn her unprotected back to the hunter as she bent down to pick up their luggage and put it in the back of the Subaru.

"We don't need to try anything. You're the one who has a problem with our arrangement, I have no problem with you as long as you don't hurt anyone." Alina tried a smile, this time it was more reassuring and confident. Her heart was still beating ridiculously fast, even though the danger was past and she could feel the other hunter's adrenaline and rage fading. She handed Laura the bags to set in the trunk with a exasperated look, flipping her the keys as she walked over to the passenger side. "Don't you even THINK about speeding. We don't need her more pissed than she already is. Dear lord I am so tired of trigger-happy hunters."

Laura caught the keys with a practiced flourish and a wink. "Wouldn't dream of it, ain't I the most law-abiding citizen you ever did see?" The last was directed at the hunter, who gunned the engine of her motorcycle with a face like a tiger who has just had her tail pulled. Laura chuckled and slid into the driver's side. "Man, your colleagues are always a laugh and a half."

"They're not my colleagues!! Not even my associates." She heaved a sigh as they slid out of the parking lot. She placed her hand on her heart, throwing her head back, "I don't know how much more strain this poor heart of mine can handle!" After one look at Laura's face through her lashes she burst into laughter. "I really have bad timing, don't I? Sorry."

Laura's eyes squinted at that, and her smile slowly slid into something more sly. "Alina. Hold on. I'm sensing something~~~" She wiggled her fingers, her thumbs still wrapped around the steering wheel. "I'm sensingggg with my powersssssss~~~~ What could it beeeee?"

Her voice took on a faux-ethereal tone. "The spirits are telling me thaaaaaaaaat YOU THINK THAT HUNTER IS CUTE."

"What? Spirits? Laura!” She turned to face to Laura, all theatrics abandoned. "I do not!" As a reflexive response to anything said in such a tone.

Laura laughed out loud, tires screeching as she pulled into the diner's parking lot perhaps a bit faster than necessary. "Oh my god you do, I was half joking but you so do. Don't worry, I won't tell her."

"Good! Because I don't! And anyway, she shot you! Not nice at all." Alina resolutely stared out the window.

Laura snorted and parked the car in front of the enormous neon sign proclaiming this particular dive to be AUNTIE MEG'S ALL-NITE DINER. A few seconds later, a motorcycle roared in next to them, the hunter stepping off in the most surly way possible. She stomped up to them as Laura breezed through the door of the diner, flashing a charming smile at the tired waitress behind the counter and claiming a booth as her sovereign territory.

Laura grinned around at the table, thinking she saw a bit of shyness on Alina's face around the (admittedly attractive) hunter. When a waitress came over to take their order, Laura ordered for herself and her partner, letting the hunter curtly shake her head to indicate she wasn't getting anything. “And a slice of apple pie for Isabelle,” Laura said generously, winking at the hunter, who looked furious. 

Once the waitress had left, Laura leaned back in the booth, lacing her hands behind her head. “So!” she said, smiling as widely and insolently as her face would allow. “What would you like to know about our unorthodox arrangement?”

The hunter glowered at Laura, and turned to Alina, clearly not trusting the testimony of a demon. “How did you end up with... that? What makes you think you can trust her? How do you know she's not reporting back to Hell?”

Alina refrained from rolling her eyes. "For one, and I have already said this, I can tell when anyone lies. It's part of the psychic thing," she ticked down a finger for each response, "she has saved my life countless times, and has never given me reason to doubt that her motives are anything more malevolent than a pissed-off middle schooler. Also she makes some mean grilled cheese. As for the whole Hell thing, it's such a mess down there with Crowley and Abaddon fighting their little war of succession that no-one's paying attention to us up here too much. Just like I don't stick my head into the Winchester's messes, so Laura doesn't bother with the politics of Hell."

"Also, I happen to really like that the body she's possessing she took on principle from a girl that was in a coma, after helping said girl take revenge on an abusive boyfriend. That kind of thing really endears me to a person." Alina flashed a small grin at Laura and settled back, a bit more comfortable.

Laura winked ostentatiously at Alina. "Darling, not in front of the hunter!" She batted her eyelashes. In her periphery she could see the hunter rolling her eyes. 

"You didn't answer my first question," the hunter started, but was cut off by the arrival of their food. Laura thanked the waitress extravagantly as the hunter stared at the pie in front of her, as if it was likely to bite her. "I asked how you ended up working with a demon. What kind of lapse of judgement-" She cut herself off, perhaps more out of a desire to avoid a shouting match in the middle of a restaurant than out of politeness.

Here Alina could not hold back and huffed a sigh. "All right. So I happened upon a very mis-matched group of demons stalking someone that, to all purposes, could have been a completely normal human. She just happened to look away as soon as I said 'Christo' and because there were so many of them I didn't notice. So I killed them and by that time she was gone. By another strange stroke of fate the place I decide to stop in for breakfast is where she was working. Working. Have you ever seen a demon do a day of work in their life? She was living as a human. What do you even think demons get for doing Hell's work? Seriously. Getting someone's soul out of a deal is basically worth nothing. Someone else tortures the soul for eternity, and what? That's no reward. But I'm getting off track. She was working in this shitty diner and I became open to seeing the benefits of having a teleporting and extremely strong partner. I made her a deal. A place to stay and someone to watch her back as long as she did the same for me. Now that I look back at it, I'm really not surprised she took up with me. Her manager was the douchiest pervert I have ever met."

Alina sat back slowly, as she had noticed that during her little rant she had taken a bit too much of an defensive position. Didn't want to put the hunter on edge any more than she already was.

Laura slung an arm around Alina's shoulders and pulled her into a sideways hug. "Aww, sweetheart, you flatter me. I am that great, though." She looked at the hunter, her arm still around her partner. "So? We convinced you?" She speared a hashbrown chunk with a fork and ate, briefly closing her eyes in pure potato ecstacy. 

The hunter folded her arms. Her pie was still untouched. "Not yet. Why would a demon fight against its own kind?"

Laura gestured with her fork. "First of all, hun, I'm a she, not an it. /Pronouns./ Second of all, what the hell else am I supposed to do? You heard the lady. When she found me, I was working in the ass-end of nowhere at the crack of dawn." She took another bite of her hashbrowns, enjoying being the center of attention. "Third, if I wasn't in the business, who'd take care of my darling wife?"

The hunter choked on her ice water. "You two are *married?*"

"Laura!" Another sigh. "No, that's just a pet name. She's doing it just to get a reaction from you, I can assure you." Alina explained between bites of her grilled cheese sandwich. "There's really nothing I can do to stop her from annoying you, so I would just suggest not reacting so tremendously. It only encourages her."

"But really, do you know how much easier it is being a hunter when you know someone has your back? How can you ever settle down for a quiet evening with a book or catch up on TV if you're always on your own guard? It must be hard, I'm sorry..." Alina finished, sympathetically.

The hunter... was she blushing? "I apologize if I offended. I don't have anything against... two women, ah. You know." She looked at Alina. "I suppose I do know what you mean. I have worked with others in the past, but-" 

Laura cut her off. "If you're not finishing that pie, I'm going to eat it while it's still hot." She beckoned with a finger and the pie slid towards her until it was close enough to impale bits of on her fork. "Sorry," she said, a bit of apple filling on her cheek. "You were saying?" 

The hunter shook her head. "Never mind." She patted her pockets and took out a pen. She grabbed a napkin from the dispenser and scribbled a few numbers on it. "I should probably get going. Here's my number, if you need help and I'm in the area." She slid the napkin, folded up, to Alina, and shot a poisonous glare to Laura when she tried to take it.

"Of course! I'll text you my number in case you ever feel lonely." Alina smiled at the hunter before she realized what she'd said. "Ah, I mean, well Laura's always very loud! And I'm not implying you don't have any other hunter friends, just we have a bunch of old X-Files and Star Trek DVDs in the back of the car, if you're into that kind of stuff. And we're not the worst company when you get used to the weirdness?" She cringed, the urge to bury her head in her hands and make herself stop talking was quite strong.

Laura squeezed her shoulder in sympathy, but didn't say anything. The hunter gave her a quizzical look. "I meant more along the lines of if you were having difficulties in a job, but... I suppose that would be alright? If I wasn't busy." She stood up, dropping a couple of crumpled ones onto the table. "I need to go now. I suppose I will see you around." She stalked out of the diner before anyone could reply, jamming her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket. Seconds later, they heard the loud roar of a motorcycle peeling away from the parking lot.

Laura whistled. "Dang, did you just ask that hunter out?"

Alina's voice most definitely did not squeak when she replied. "I think I did? Oh my god I totally didn't mean to but she replied positively?"

Laura grinned and jabbed Alina in the side. "Oh my god!! Girl!!! You are so smooth look at you! You deserve this." She passed Alina the rest of the pie. "Celebration pie! Now if you can keep your new paramour from knifing me, that would be super great."

"She's not! Oh my god, what if she really answers? And I get to see her again? I wouldn't even know what to say. I don't even know what she likes? What if she doesn't like coffee? No, that's impossible. Every hunter needs their coffee." Alina stuffed some pie in her mouth to stop the flow of words. "And I think she likes you now. Or at least is okay with you."

"Of course she likes me, I'm amazing." Laura rested her head against Alina's, smiling. "And you thought you wouldn't get to find anyone to smooch on that wasn't some sort of vampire succubus. I'm really happy for you."


	3. Meeting Dean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dynamic duo stumble across Dean, who already previously knows Alina (I kinda borrowed Krissy's storyline)

Dean held the flashlight in one hand and the canister of salt- purchased, not stolen- in the other. "Heeere, ghosty ghosty," he murmured under his breath. It was disconcerting, not having Sam at his side, but after that fight he sure as hell wasn't gonna be the first to apologize.

His boots crunched through the underbrush as he scanned the forest. Suddenly he saw a light- no, two-, and froze. Someone else was in these woods. He could hope for some hormonal teenagers trying to find a good makeout spot, but with the way his luck was going it was more likely to be some sort of glowy-ass wendigo or a murderer with a flashlight fetish.

Alina was stalking through yet another forest with Laura in the middle of the night. Why couldn't they do these things during the day? She could never understand. She had tried to get Laura to walk quieter, but it was no use. She seemed to thrive on annoying her. But hey, there was another light of a flashlight between the trees. Great. Another potential civilian that could get hurt in the crossfire. Or someone worse.

"Hey, you! We have business here tonight. Clear off!" She tried, in her most intimidating tone. She would have asked Laura to do it, but she would probably overreact and do something that would probably just make it even worse.

"Yeah, here be ghosts and all that, wouldn't want you to-" Laura's cheerful addition was cut off when the beam of her flashlight swept across the only other person dumb enough to be out in the spooky woods at night. Dean Winchester. Demon-hater extraordinaire and, from what Alina had told her, master of jumping to conclusions. GREAT. 

Dean froze, recognizing the first voice. He shined his flashlight in their direction, and it glinted off the circlet on the forehead of one of the other figures. "Alina? Is that you?" he asked gruffly. "What the hell're you doing here? And who's this?"

"What do you think Dean? We're here to torch a douche-bag's bones and make sure he leaves his ex alone. Poor dear is going out of her mind. Thought she could escape their abusive relationship after he died in a car crash. We got this covered. This is my... partner, Laura. She's had my back ever since the wonder couple got fucked over by Abbadon. I'd be dead a dozen times without her." Alina tried to get it into Dean's head what Laura had done for her so he would feel better about her before he inevitably found out she was a demon.

She tried for distraction next. "Where's Sam? You guys have another falling out?"

Laura didn't much appreciate being talked about like she wasn't there, but from what she knew about Dean he was more the "exorcise first ask questions never" type when it came to demons. She just stood at Alina's shoulder and tried to look human. 

Dean nodded at the blonde lady. "Nice to meetcha. And yeah, Sammy's busy with something or whatever so I came down when I heard about a haunting in the area. Good to know you've got this covered." He looked at Laura a little more critically. Something didn't seem right about her, like she was hiding something. He knew what that looked like on a hunter. "Mind if I tag along?"

"Only if I know you're not going to get us killed because of your shoot-first ask-questions-later-attitude." She stepped closer to Dean, unconsciously putting herself between him and Laura, looking him straight in the eyes, "Dean, I've been through some tough shit, you should know, most hunters have. I'm not the kid you helped all those years ago, not anymore. A couple years ago you would have tried to shoot me for just being psychic and telling you your name before you told it to me. Also we've all recently had angels introduced into the equation. And not all of the angels are quite as angelic as your cutie of a boyfriend. So I'm going to need you to trust me completely and not jump out of your skin because I'm a lot less orthodox than you. I know you're probably mad at Sam right now, but he's always been the more rational one of you too. So channel some Sam here and think first. If you can't accept that, I'm going to have to ask you to leave and go find another case."

"Whoa, what?" Dean was a little taken aback. "Alina, what the hell are you talking about? Angels? Is she an angel?" He gestured at Laura with his flashlight. Laura snickered. 

"Far from it, hunter-boy. Sweetheart, you want me to tell him or would it be better coming from you?" 

"Also he's not my boyfriend," Dean muttered, remembering to put up a token resistance.

"Dean. What I'm saying is the universe is a lot larger than we thought it was, and the people in it are even more diverse. Do I have your word that you won't hurt my partner?" Alina stood her ground, showing steel she knew he would recognize and respect.

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure, whatever. I don't care what her deal is." He squinted at the two of them. Had she said sweetheart? "Wait, are you guys... like a thing?"

Laura laughed out loud. "Ha! Yeah the wedding was in July, sorry we didn't know where to send the invite."

"She's joking. But we've been working together awhile. If she flirts with you, just ignore her." Alina rolled her eyes and jabbed Laura in the ribs with her elbow.

Laura pursed her lips and made a kissing noise. "Love you too, honeybunch." She tapped the flashlight on her leg impatiently. "So you gonna tell him or we gonna keep him in the dark?"

"Let's just give him a chance to see how useful you are first, okay? I don't fancy having to tackle him, as much as I trust his word, his hunter instincts are probably stronger. Men." Another eyeroll.

"You can tackle me anytime you want," Laura said with a wink. She stepped forward to offer her hand to Dean. "Name's Laura. Been a hunter for a coupla years once Alina dragged me into it. Assuming you're here for the murderghost?"

Dean nodded and took her hand warily. "Darren Hunt, died three months back but hasn't left town yet. You guys know where his grave is?"

Laura pointed vaguely. "Around there. It's a family plot near an old cabin, which is why it's in Spookywoods Central instead of a churchyard. We're here for the ol' salt and burn and here's hoping he doesn't decide to show up."

"But knowing our luck, he'll show up to join the fun," Alina huffed as she started in the direction Laura had pointed, "so we brought along some salt and an iron poker Laura filched from the last lodge we stayed at. Should help until we can get this bastard back where he belongs. You keep watch while we dig him up, that fine with you?"

Dean shrugged. "Sure. Could use an easy job." He looked at Laura again surreptitiously and she pretended not to notice for the sake of his ego. "Lead the way."

Laura beamed. "Great! Should be about a ten-minute walk this way."

As they walked, Dean moved closer to Alina. "So how'd you pick her up, anyway?"

"Saved her being cornered by a bunch of Abbadon's dimwit lackeys. They keep getting dumber and dumber each year, I swear. But five against one is never much of a fun fight. With all the fighting that's happening down in Hell between those two parties I wonder that any of the demons even have any time for us humans anymore. They're so caught up in their stupid bloody politics they don't seem to care who gets caught in the crossfire. I'm glad the hunter community doesn't have any official leaders. I would abandon ship myself and go rogue if they tried to make me do anything. Hate politics." 

She shot a quick telepathic 'sorry' in Laura's direction for leaving her out.

She mixed in truths with omissions, knowing Dean would be able to tell if she lied outright. "But she's been quite useful and it really can drive you a bit mad to be all alone in this line of work, always having to watch your back and never having anyone to confide in. Though I wouldn't complain if I had an angel buddy to zap me out of situations once in awhile." Alina winked at Dean, nudging him with her shoulder.

Dean grunted. "Haven't seen Cas in a while, dumbass trenchcoat angel." With his blue eyes, and his dark hair, and his slightly pouty lips... Ahem. "And I don't need him to get me outta stuff. I can manage just fine on my own."

"Hate to interrupt the man-pain monologue, sweetcheeks," Laura deadpanned, "but we're here." The grave was newly-dug, with flowers just beginning to wilt leaning on the headstone. She leaned with an insouciant attitude against another gravestone. "So, dibs on not digging?"

"Fiiiine. You baby. You know you're stronger than I am. But no, let the hunter-psychic do all the manual labor," Alina complained good-naturedly as she pulled a collapsible shovel out of her satchel. She handed the salt to Laura. "Be useful and at least surround the grave site so he can't get in. I know he can still propel things at me, which is what Dean is for hopefully? Distract him long enough for me to dig him up and torch him? Though I wouldn't mind having help doing the actual digging..."

"I am the best at distraction! Empirical fact." Laura efficiently surrounded the grave, and Dean and Alina inside, with a salt circle, then slung her satchel to the ground and started rooting around inside of it. "Rock salt shotgun's in here somewhere. Dean, how good're you at baseball? Cause you might wanna grab that stick next to your foot there and get ready to swat things away. There's too many good projectiles in the woods for me to feel safe with you just batting shit away with your hands." 

Dean noticed that Laura held the salt canister away from herself much like a regular person would hold sulfuric acid, and that she used a cloth to load the rock salt into the shotgun. He opened his mouth to comment, but Laura's head snapped up.

"Hear that?" she murmured. "He's here."

"Shit. I haven't gotten very far. Well, I hope you both have good aim. And I can only deflect things for a few minutes before my psychic juice dries out, so try to bat away anything he might throw my way if you can? I can sense it, and if I can dodge it I will." Alina began digging more forcefully as she felt the air around them getting colder. And their flashlights on the ground started flickering. "Goddamn. We should have brought a lantern."

Laura rolled her eyes. "I can see, we'll be fine." She chambered the last rock salt round and cocked her shotgun. "He's getting close," she reported. "Dean, you let her get hit and I'm kicking you in the nuts."

Dean grinned. "I did little league back in the day. I can handle this." Sure enough, a moan rattled from the woods to their left, and a rock came whistling through the air. Laura swung around the shotgun and fired a blast as Dean batted the rock away. 

"Damn, missed," Laura spat, cocking the gun again. "Hey darlin', you close yet?"

"Almost there!" Thump. "Got the coffin," she said as she stabbed through the wood to make sure the bones were here, "Salt?" Alina pulled the gasoline out of her satchel and started pouring it as something hurtled towards her from the opposite direction than Laura and Dean were standing. She dodged but the something ripped through her jacket and burrowed into her upper arm. "Motherfucker! Laura where did you put the salt?"

"Busy!!" Laura yelled, another shotgun blast rocking her frame. "Dean, what the hell're you doing? Help that lady out!" She squinted, trying to sense into the darkness. She aimed...

Dean saw the salt canister, tossed on its side into the ring, and tossed it at Alina. A thrown something grazed his forehead, opening up a scratch that bled more than it should have. He fucking hated head wounds. He swatted at an incoming rock and only managed to deflect it into the gravestone. "Son of a BITCH."

Laura fired. The rock salt flew through the air, her last round, and a spectre howled from the darkness. "Ha! Take that, you motherfucker!" she yelled, exultant. "Alina, he's dispelled for a bit, how's it coming? You got maybe three minutes!"

"I'm workin on it!" Alina poured the salt into the grave hurriedly, reaching for the lighter in her back pocket, flinching as she stretched her injured arm. These stupid lighters, they had to find the ones that didn't go out as soon as you took your finger off the lever, otherwise there was no way it would catch fire. And matches just went out before they even hit the ground. 

"There you go! Bon voyage, you used tampon!" The grave went up in flames, merrily crackling as if it was a bonfire and not the banishment of a malevolent spirit. Alina quickly broke the circle of salt so Laura would be able to get in to her, "Hey, anyone hurt too bad?"

Laura sagged against the gravestone. "Yeah, I'm aight. Takes more than some Casper-ass motherfucker to get to me. You doing ok?"

Dean wiped his forehead with one sleeve. He tossed his improvised baseball bat into the woods and noticed Alina scuffing the salt circle. "Okay, so what the hell is going on with you?" He pointed angrily at Laura, who had moved to perch on a headstone like a leather-jacketed cat. "You can't touch salt but you'll blast a ghost in the face with it. That's a real suspicious allergy you got there." He turned back to Alina, wiping again at his forehead. "You mind telling me what's going on?"

"Not before she gets this shard of whatever-the-hell-this-is out of my arm and you cool down from the heat of battle. I do not want a blood infection," Alina sits down on the ground, taking the jacket off gingerly, "the med-kit is in the front pocket of my satchel." But Laura already knew that. As she brought it close Alina was pleased to see it wasn't too much worse for the wear. She loved that bag.

Laura gently crouched down beside Alina. "Let me get a look at that, alright?" She took out a pair of tweezers and started prodding at the shard of something. "Ooh. Tell me if I'm hurting you, alright? It's in there pretty deep." She put a steadying and comforting hand in Alina's, squeezing slightly. "I'm going to count to three and pop it out, ok? One. Two." She yanked hard with the tweezers, gripping Alina's hand tightly. She could hear Dean start in surprise behind her, but she was focused on dropping the bloody shard onto the pack and holding a pad of gauze to Alina's bleeding arm. "Yowch. Okay, so that's out. I can bandage it up for now and we can take a better look at it when we're back at the car, okay?" She was finished with the bandaging when she realized that she'd been doing all of this in nearly complete darkness. 

Dean stared at the women's dark silhouettes. "Okay. Something fucked up is going on here and you're going to explain it to me right the fuck now."

Laura side-eyed Alina, standing up as she brushed her hands off on her pants. "I can get this. You've lost a good deal of blood and you need to get to the car, not deal with this asshole." She dropped the gauze-wrapped shard into a pocket of the satchel and slung it over her shoulder, offering Alina a hand up.

"Thanks dear. Just try not to give him a reason to get angrier." She stood up, shaky, but steady enough to walk back to the with minimal assistance. She had a few candy bars in the glove compartment for these kinds of situations. "But Dean, remember, you promised me not to hurt her. And if what I've said and how she's helped us already is not enough to convince you she's on my side, then you're thicker than I thought." She leaned on Laura as they walked, she didn't want to pass out just because she thought she could handle it. She had learned the hard way back when she hunted alone and thought she was invincible. It's always better to be cautious. Even if she did have Laura this time to make sure the creepies didn't take advantage of her fainting from blood loss and kidnapping her.

Laura wrapped a protective arm around Alina and passed Dean the shotgun. "I am handing you this as both a sign of trust and also because I can't hold both my partner and this stupid gun," she said, hitching the satchel up slightly more. "Also, walk in front of us. If anything comes popping out of these woods I don't want the invalid and her crutch to be on the front lines, capisce?"

Dean nodded, but his hand went to the knife inside his jacket. "Yeah. So you gonna quit beating around the bush?"

"I thought attending to her arm wound was kind of a top priority," Laura snapped, stepping over a root. "You wanna know what the deal is? Fine. I'm a literally god-damned demon. Crossroads, red eyes, the whole shebang." The words were out of her mouth before she realized that she could probably have worded that better.

Dean whirled around and had his knife pressed against Laura's throat before he knew what he was doing. "Christo," he spat, and sure enough her eyes flickered blood-red. She grinned at him, teeth bared in a mockery of a smile.

"You promised," she sang, pulling Alina a little bit closer. "You promised her that you wouldn't hurt me."

"Dean. Don't you dare," Alina pulled a pistol out of her ankle holster, "I will shoot you. And though it will not be fatal I am 100% sure that Sam would be on my side, because, like I said before, he is the more rational of you two."

"Laura. There had to be a better way to tell him that. Like the fact that you haven't been to Hell since about the 1950's and stayed off their radar and the hunters’ for at least that long?" Her arms were starting to shake. "Seriously guys. Can I at least get to the car before we have to explain everything? Dean, if she wanted to hurt either of us, she had plenty of time to do so while we were distracted by the ghost."

Laura bent down and scooped Alina up into her arms, holding her in a princess carry. "Desperate times," she said, and blinked away. The teleport landed them ten feet away from the car and she set Alina down on her feet. "Sorry, moon of my life, but I didn't want you passing out. I'll be back in a little." With that, she saluted and teleported back to Dean.

He whirled around, eyes wide and knife in hand. "Relax, sweetie, I'm not here to hurt you," she reassured him, but it didn't seem very effective. 

"Where the hell did you take her?" he yelled, swiping at her wildly.

Laura dodged with ease. "She's at the car, calm down! Now stop swinging at me so I can get you there too!"

"Not happening," he snarled. 

Laura rolled her eyes, jumping onto a low tree branch to give her some height. "Fine. Then can we walk like *normal people* to the car? I'll go in front or whatever you're comfortable with, I just wanna get back to Alina and make sure she doesn't bleed out."

Alina huffed and unlocked the car, as it seemed that Dean hadn't allowed Laura to teleport him too. She wasn't surprised. Dude really needed to relax. Sam mellowed him, and so did Cas. He really needed to make up with both of them. This kinda work can really drive you crazy if you're alone. She shook her head, no need to go down that train of thought. She grabbed a snickers bar out of the glove compartment and sat in the passenger side seat with the door open, watching for the return of her partner and her honorary older brother. She tried to project her mind to see if they were near, but she heard no thoughts, so they were probably still a bit away.

Dean stopped hacking at Laura and stepped back slightly, but his knife never left his hand. "You walk in front of me. Hands in the air. You're going to explain yourself and convince me that you're not somehow mind-controlling Alina. Got it?"

Laura rolled her eyes and landed lightly on the ground. "Yeah, yeah." She slowly raised her hands above her head and turned towards the direction of the car. "So whaddaya wanna know?"

Dean prodded at the back of her jacket with his knife. "Start walking." When she did, he continued. "So what's a demon doing working with a hunter?"

"Long story," Laura sighed, "but the short version is that I fucked outta Hell first chance I got and found myself a vessel. Consensual vessel, may I specify- she and me made a deal and she's still up there sleeping and dreaming the nicest dreams. Alina can verify if you don't believe me." She adjusted her course slightly, homing in on the car. "Anyway, flash forward fifty years of me minding my own goddamn business and Alina picks me up form a dead-end diner dive. She decides I'm worth trusting and I decide she's worth hanging around start bumming around with her. Means I gotta adjust the traditional hunter modus operandi, what with my "unusual allergies"-" her hands, raised above her head still, made finger quotes- "but I manage. Got its setbacks, got its drawbacks, say lah vee and all that." She felt a familiar tickle in her brain. "And we are now within Alina's range, so if you stab me she's gonna know and be hella pissed."

'Finally! You guys are taking forever!' Alina projects into both of their minds, the sugar rush is helping, but she's definitely going to crash soon. 'Now get your asses over here and Dean don't get stab-happy because I will not be able to find another partner with such useful abilities and snarky charm in a hundred years. And Dean, seriously? Demons can only control people if they're possessing them, or by normal human manipulative methods. Do you really think I'd be so relaxed around her and let her patch me up if she was blackmailing me? Idiot.'

Laura rolled her eyes. "See what I gotta deal with? I tellya, I have the patience of a saint dealing with her in my head all the time. If there's anyone taking unfair advantage of their abilities in this relationship, it sure isn't me." Dean only snorted and they walked in silence for the rest of the way to the car.

"Really Dean? Can we skip the hostilities and just go to the I-don't-know-quite-what's-going-on-but-I-won't-interefere-if-you-explain part? I really don't have the energy to keep arguing this when you've got a knife to her back and giving me all sorts of not-fun anxiety." Alina was leaning on the car as they approached, she could manage this as long as they got somewhere and sat down and preferably ate soon. This was going a bit like the meeting with Isabelle, but thankfully without Laura getting shot.

Laura flounced over to Alina, shooting a glare at Dean before turning, concerned, to Alina's shoulder. "How are you feeling?" she asked. She examined the bandage closely before deciding that Alina probably wasn't going to bleed to death. 

"I'm fine, thanks dear. I'm actually impressed you managed not to get shot or stabbed this time." She smiled at Laura in relief.

Dean sulked a few feet away, glowering. "Alina, you and me need to talk."

"So this is the plan. We're going to the nearest all-night diner or whatever, and while Laura goes to wash up, then you can talk to me if you insist on talking to me alone. After that she's going to be there to help me explain whatever you want explained, within reason. I do not do well after being injured or after a hunt if she's not near me. Call it PTSD or whatever from this life, from having my foster siblings disembowelled in front of me by Queen Bitch." Alina folded her hands in front of her and tried to look as strong and determined as she could. God, she hated dealing with men sometimes.

Laura wrapped a protective arm around Alina's waist in a sidehug. "Hey, you don't gotta worry about that cantankerous queen, you got me! Big strong crossroads knight at your service." She poked Alina quickly in the side, hoping to make her laugh. Then she slid past her to hold out the passenger side door for her. "Milady."

Dean huffed air out of his nose angrily. "Fine. But I lead the way." As he passed them to get to the Impala, Laura stuck her tongue out at him before sitting in the driver's seat of the Suburban. She was nothing if not eternally classy.

Alina swatted at Laura half-heartedly, but Dean's back was already turned. She wondered how close he had parked. What a mundane thought after yet another encounter with the supernatural.

"He's a lot bossier than I remember. Do guys just need to assert their dominance at any given point in the conversation, or is it just because I've grown up so much since he's last seen me and he can't reconcile it?" She flopped into the passenger seat and finally took the throwing knives out of her thigh sheath, they dug uncomfortably into her leg whenever she sat down. But she did love those daggers. And thigh sheaths are just plain awesome.

"I think it's a guy thing, combined with the macho aggression toxic masculinity culture hunting seems to foster, combined with the fact that I'm a demon and therefore a threat as far as his puny human hindbrain is concerned." Laura started the car, shifted the clutch, and pulled out of the driveway. "Fight or flight, you know?" She pulled out onto the highway and started driving. Moments later she could see the headlights of the Impala in her rearview mirror. "Humans are weird. No offense, but you know what I mean." She started idly scanning the road for diner signs.

"I know what you mean," Alina chuckled. "It's just strange to see it all so close up." She leaned up against the glass of the window, it felt cool and comforting to the headache starting to build up behind her eyes. She shouldn't have done all that talking in their minds when they were that far away. It still took a lot out of her when she did. She watched as Dean passed them and then got in the lane in front of them, huffing as he drove conspicuously below the speed limit, forcing them to do the same unless they wanted to change lanes and piss him off again. How far was he going to go just to annoy Laura? She really hoped he didn't expect too much out of herm, explanation wise. And that he wouldn't be too pissy. Because she didn't have that much self-control left and might just curse at him if he got too unbearable.

Laura resisted the urge to accelerate and scuff the paint off the bumper of the Impala. If Dean was going to be a child about this, she was well within her rights to respond in kind. She didn't, though. Never let it be said that she didn't exercise restraint. Well, not enough restraint to keep her from swearing creatively and making a rude hand gesture from when she'd been alive, but restraint nonetheless. She sighed and sat back in the seat, letting Dean decide where they were going to stop off.

It took about twenty minutes, but the Impala finally turned off onto an exit and Laura followed. They were outside some dive bar, and Dean had already gone inside apparently. Laura sighed. "Typical."

"They better have something more edible than crackers in there, or I'm going to kill him myself." Alina grumbled. She breathed on the window and drew a star in the fog as Laura parked their car. "All he needs right now is alcohol to make him less restrained and more emotional. Well, this is going to be so. much. fun." She sighed, getting out of the car and walking into the bar on Laura's arm. She felt better, but didn't want to fall flat on her face because she wasn't careful. She wished they could just go to their motel and go sleep for at least ten hours and recover before she had to explain anything or be around any more people. She had quite enough of people for today. But there was nothing she could do right now but steel herself and get it all over with.

Laura supported Alina on her arm and walked her into the bar. It was smoky and dark inside, and there were only a few other patrons in there. Dean was immediately obvious, as he was facing the door with a belligerent scowl. Well, two could play at that game. Laura put on her most shit-eating grin and swanned into the bar, depositing Alina in the booth. "Order me a beer, would you, honey? I'm gonna go powder my nose." She winked at Dean, who glared, and went off to the ladies' room.

Dean was already nursing a glass of whiskey. "So," he asked, glowering. "You want me to trust a goddamn demon."

"Goddamn it Dean. I do not have any more patience for your self-righteous bullshit." Alina held up a hand as he tried to retort, pinning him with her angriest glare.

"I am not asking you to trust her with your life. You don't even hunt with us. I am asking you to accept our arrangement, because it has worked out perfectly for the past two years. I am asking you not to rob me of my partner and emotional support just because you don't understand what we have. Do you know how fucked up I was after the wonder couple was gone? Abaddon killed her in front of us, then he sold his soul to Abaddon to get her back. And you know what, of course she didn't give her back, she pulled him apart. And god knows what she's doing to their souls in Hell. And I was left with nothing but my own guilt and these," Alina pointed at the scars that stretched from her temple down to her jaw under her ear, "and I was ready to take my own life. Do you know what got me out of that? She did.

"Yes, I know that you might have tried to help, but you know almost nothing about feelings, seeing as you repress most of yours, and of course I wasn't going to go running to you. She gave my life purpose and helped me put my mind back together. With her I can see the beauty in the world again. Can you say the same about yourself? Can you tell me, truly and honestly, that you look at people walking by on the street and feel happy because they're so human? Can you sit and watch the sunset and just marvel in the beauty of nature? Because of her support I can. I am in an infinitely better place because of her, and can you sit there, looking at me, and tell me that she is a monster? I am not lying to you. Everything I have said is true. And I know she's not doing this to get some kind of bullshit from me like Ruby did to you two. You know how I know this? Because we trust each other. Because we can tell each other anything, and because we have nothing to hide from each other. Even you and Sam haven't been able to maintain that kind of relationship for very long. So trust me, and if you still have a problem with us, then Back. Off."

Dean was speechless for a while after that response. He took a swig of his liquor, thinking over his response. He ran his fingers through his hair. "Wow. Uh." He stared down at the grimy table, thinking it over. "Yeah, I'm sorry about your friends getting killed. And, uh. I'm glad that you've got someone else now." After another moment of silence, he added, "The way you talk about her.. you sure you guys aren't dating?"

Laura chose this moment to slide back into the booth and sling her arm around Alina. "All freshened up, ladies!" She did look moderately less disheveled than before, and her lipstick was a blazing red. "So what'd I miss?"

Alina smiled weakly. She was definitely drained. That was for sure. Fun. "Nice lipstick."

Then turned back to Dean, "It doesn't really matter. She's my rock. But if she needs to go smooch on some hottie once in awhile I don't mind. So it's platonic."

Laura squeezed Alina protectively. "Yeah I am. And you're mine, alright?" She turned to Dean. "We help each other out. Helps, in this business, to have someone to watch your back emotionally and physically, doesn't it?" Her glare became more pointed as she raised her eyebrows at him. He snorted and turned back to his drink. 

She couldn't help but notice that Alina wasn't doing well, so she gave up on getting a drink tonight. "Look, she isn't doing so great, mind if we hit the road? I'm sure you'd love to stay and chat with me, but she needs to get to somewhere with snacks and a bed." Dean nodded and waved them off, apparently lost in thought.

"Thank you." Alina leaned on Laura again as they left. "Sorry you didn't get your beer," she chuckled. Alina was glad they had gotten that mostly sorted out, with some emotional manipulation on her behalf, but nonetheless.

Laura all but carried Alina to the passenger seat. "Hey, I'll live. Gotta take care of my pet meatbag, don't I?" 

"Well I've had enough of people for the next few days, and men for the next few weeks definitely."

“Good thing I’m neither.” She walked back around to the driver's side and started up the car."You go ahead and fall asleep, I'll wake you up in half an hour when we get to the motel. And then I think we deserve a break for a while, we've been working hard recently. We could go back to the cabin, take the weekend off, whaddaya say?"

"Sounds wonderful," Alina muttered with a smile. The mountains always calmed her. And it was the perfect season for hiking. She drifted off thinking about their last time in the cabin when they managed to get lost on a trail and found some shrine to an ancient god that Laura wouldn't even go near, lulled to sleep by the familiar sounds of the car.

Laura smiled fondly, listening for the exact moment when Alina was in a deep enough sleep for her to have the radio at a low hum, and drove on. The highway stretched out before her, her lights illuminating little to the sides. It had been a long week and a stressful day, but the promise of the cheap motel room and a rest in the cabin made it all worthwhile.


	4. Did it hurt? When you left behind your angelic form for a mortal vessel?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, is this a SECOND LOVE INTEREST??? You bet your ass it is.  
> This one's a bit short, but the next one should make up for that.

As a rule, Alina had not encountered a lot of exploding monsters. Oh sure, they were almost all combustible, but that mostly relied on someone applying fire to them. Which was why it was such a surprise when the lizard monster she was fighting (well, pretending to be paralyzed by, but that was part of the strategy) exploded. It had previously been darting around, skittering on its scaly legs, trying to kill her with the venom on its claws- standard lizardesque monster behavior. But the second she fell down, its eyes widened for a fraction of a second before it swelled up like a balloon and burst, raining lizard guts and various bodily fluids everywhere. Alina had about two seconds to process this unexpected and unpleasant turn of events when about ten feet in front of her, a man appeared in what she could only describe as about fifty lens flares happening simultaneously.

"Fear not!" the man intoned in a ringing voice. "For I, Galeniel, Seraph of the Lord, am here to-"  
  
"What the FUCK, dude!" Alina sat up, wiping lizard juice off her face. "I almost had it!"  
  
The man- Galeniel?- faltered, visibly shocked. "You're not paralyzed?"  
  
With a groan, Alina levered herself to her feet. "Obviously not! Ugh." She took a moment to look over her "rescuer." He looked young, somewhere in his twenties, with golden hair sparkling like he'd been dunked headfirst in glitter. He had cheekbones that nobody had any business having, and his skin was a light tawny brown. He was also glowing. Suddenly, her brain caught up with her mouth, and her eyes widened.. "Wait, you're an angel??"   
  
The angel puffed himself up, visibly self-important. Alina thought she could see his glow expand slightly. "That is right, I-"  
  
Alina cut him off. "What the hell are you doing here?! I'm not some boring normal human you can impress with your fancy lightshow or whatever. I've heard a shitton about you guys, and most of you are dicks." She could tell that she was babbling. Damn, she must be more rattled by this than she thought. "Why did you explode that thing? How did you know I was here? Why are you trying to save me? Are you _following me?_?"  
  
The poor angel was, apparently speechless. She raised her eyebrows at him to indicate that he should explain, and he collected himself. "I... erm. I believe we may have gotten off on the wrong foot."  
  
Alina sighed. "Alright. I'm going to take that to mean I asked too many questions at once. So, have you been following me? And may I ask why?"  
  
He raised his chin. "I have, yes. I was tasked by the Lord Himself to protect you, and keep you from corruption." Alina's jaw dropped. "You are a very important soldier in the war against corruption and evil, Alina. And I am sworn to protect you. It is my angelic duty."  
  
"Wow." Her disbelieving tone meant that it was Galeniel's turn to look shocked. "You seriously expect me to believe that God exists? Especially after I just learned angels exist about a year ago?" He was stammering again, but she steamrolled right past that.  "And all the shit that's happened to me and everyone I know so far, just wasn't IMPORTANT enough for anyone to get involved?" She crossed her arms and glared at him, daring him to contradict her.   
  
Galeniel sighed. "Everything happens for a reason. It is not the place of a lowly angel to know what that reason is."  
  
"Bullshit," she spat.  
  
He only shrugged. "It is the way of things. I am only doing as I am told." Yeah, that line of reasoning never went badly. She was about to say as much when he grinned at her, and she was momentarily stunned by the brilliance of his smile. Had he installed floodlights in his mouth? Seriously, that was illegal levels of dazzling. "I have been following you," he continued, "but now that I have tipped my hand I believe we can get to know each other better."   
  
"Whoa there, cupid," she replied, holding her hands up. "Take it down a notch. Just because I don't think you're here to hurt me doesn't mean I'm not pissed about you stalking me." She crossed her arms in annoyance. "Seriously? Couldn't have introduced yourself like a normal person?"  
  
"I have a flair for the dramatic, what can I say." Alina snorted at that. It wasn't like that was obvious or anything. "And I do apologize for following you without your permission, but I didn't want to interfere until it became imperative that I did so." His expression changed, softened to something more... compassionate? Pitying? It was hard to tell. "I am attuned to your soul, Alina. I must protect you." Well. That was a new one. Alina snorted, but Galeniel seemed to ignore it as he swept a magnificent bow. "Anyway, I do apologize for interfering too early. I do hope that this doesn't negatively affect our acquaintance, madam."  
  
Ugh, she was a 'madam' now. She liked being called a 'soldier in the war against whatever' better. "Well, you did think I was going to die, you didn't know I wasn't actually paralyzed."  
  
"Well, you did say you had the situation well in hand, and I believe you." He frowned. "It does seem rather reckless to go up against such a dangerous monster by yourself, though."  
  
"Yeah, well, I usually have a back-up, but she's currently otherwise engaged." God, Laura was lucky she'd let her go visit her weird necromancer friend for a few days. Galeniel must have just started tracking her if he didn't know that her 'back-up' was a repentant demon. She didn't think that he'd handle that well.   
  
"Then," the angel replied, "I will be happy to meet her." Alina highly doubted that. "Shall we go, then, now that this monster is dispatched." Dispatched all over her favorite leather jacket, maybe. He stepped forward and offered her his arm, and she stared at him, hesitating.   
  
"Wait, are you gonna do that space-jump thing? Cause you gotta warn me if you do that." She'd been unexpectedly teleported enough times by her partner to know that if she wasn't given prior notice, the contents of her stomach would decide to stage a mutiny. Laura's shoes had learned that the hard way. To be fair, she had apologized, but all the same that poor pair of Chucks had been thrown out along with the remains of the demon-pig they'd just dispatched. Laura still hadn't really forgiven her for that.  
  
The angel's smile dimmed by a couple of watts. "I was going to ask you if you would like to first, yes. If not, then simply escort you out."  
  
Alina rubbed her temples and laid a hand on his offered arm. "Let's just stick to my car for now? I have to take it back to the motel anyway and it's not far." She sighed, suddenly tired. "I think I've had enough crazy new supernatural things for one day."  
  
Galeniel nodded, and they walked back to the car in restful silence.


	5. A hunter, an angel, and a demon walk into a motel room...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Did anyone expect this meeting to go well?

It had been a restful few days, but Laura was ready to go back to Alina. For one thing, you can only spend so long in the secluded semi-underground lair of a part-time necromancer before it starts to wear on you, even if he is one of your best friends. For another, she was getting concerned about Alina. They had been texting back and forth, mostly so Laura could check in on her, but there is only so much one can ascertain about a friend's mental state over text. When the nagging concern in the back of her head started to get a bit too loud for her liking, she bade her morbidly-inclined friend goodbye and poofed over to their rendezvous point. It was a cheap motel room, because of course it was a cheap motel room, and it blended together with every other cheap motel room she'd ever stayed in during her sixty consecutive years of being topside. The demon sighed contentedly and kicked off her shoes. Nothing like the comforting familiarity of generic decades-old furnishings to set a mind at ease.  
  
Too much ease, apparently. She heard the door open and didn't even bother to sit up from her sprawl on the dusty old duvet, only calling out "Honeyyyyy, I'm hoooooome!" as way of greeting. Then her senses caught up with her brain, and she jerked upright to see-  
  
_a thousand thousand wings, eyes burning with the most sacred of fury on each feather, hands reaching and grasping for the divine to hold close and the profane to cast away, a flaming sword held aloft in blessed salute, planes shifting and sliding before her eyes, over and through and between each other, wings covering feet and face and hands and stretching to blot out the sun, golden and brilliant and bleeding pure radiance,_ mysterium tremendum et fascinans _, o holy of holies o scourge of sinners-_  
  
And then she blinked, layers of perception sliding together, and there was a young man standing next to Alina, golden-haired and beautiful and _deadly,_ and she was gone before he had time to do more than gape at her.  
  
She leaned against a tree for a moment to catch her breath and then took off at a dead sprint towards the cabin. Fuck, fuck, what the dicks was an _angel_ doing with Alina? Branches whipped past her face as her feet pelted the ground. Stupid goddamn cabin, stupid fucking circle around the thing that kept demons from teleporting within a mile of it, yes it made sense to have but it was _incredibly inconvenient_ at the best of times and potentially deadly now. If that angel had followed her there'd be no getting away from him. Angels can't be kept out as easily as demons can, you can't put a salt ring around yourself and call it safe, her best bet was hoping against hope that he wouldn't think to follow her until she made it to the cabin, or else Alina would delay him until then.  
  
The cabin finally came into sight, anti-angel runes carved in miniature on every brick of the goddamn place, and it was the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen. She slammed through the door, locking it tight behind her (as if that would do anything) and slumped against a wall. Her vessel's heart was pounding from adrenaline and exertion and her leg was bleeding from where she'd scraped it against a rock while running at fifty miles an hour. She waved her hand at it to patch it up. Only after she had been sitting on the floor for a few minutes did she notice that her phone was buzzing.  
  
She drew it out of her pocket and squinted at it. Alina was calling her. Great. If she didn't have a damn good reason.... Laura let the phone ring a few times more and then answered the call seconds before it went to voicemail. "Hello," she began, "you've reached Laura's phone. I'm running for my life right now and can't answer your call, but if you have any sort of explanation for why you showed up with a fucking ANGEL at your side without the decency of warning me, please leave a message after the beep!"  
  
Alina's response was drowned out by Laura yelling BEEEEEEEP into the phone. She waited until her partner was done being childish (which took a while) and then started over. "Look, I'm sorry for not telling you sooner-"  
  
"You're sorry??" Laura screeched. "You're fucking _sorry?_ Those guys exorcise first and ask questions later!!! I could have _died_ , do you have any idea how careful I've been to avoid these motherfuckers and you just waltz into the rendezvous point with one and you're _sorry_??" Her tone was bordering on the hysterical now. "You brought my own personal kryptonite into the same room as me!!!! How would you like it if I pulled the same thing? 'Oh, sorry honey, I forgot that flaming chainsaw jugglers weren't safe for fragile meatbags, I should have warned you sooner that I'd allowed a troupe of them to practice here!!' See, that's you, that's what you sound like."  
  
"Are you quite done?" Alina asked, sounding exasperated.  
  
Laura pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ugh. Just. Explain yourself. Explain what in the everloving fuck inspired you to bring that monstrosity anywhere near me."  
  
So Alina explained. She explained about the exploding lizard, and the ridiculous lightshow, and the bullshit reasons that Galeniel had for following her around, and the "guardian angel" deal, and by the end of it Laura had a massive headache but was at least a little bit better-disposed towards the whole situation.  
  
"And now you want me to come over and fucking introduce myself?" Laura asked when the explanation was over.  
  
"Well, it wouldn't hurt! Especially since he doesn't seem to want to leave my side, I don't think I can get rid of him."  
  
The demon groaned. "Alright, _fine_. But you owe me so many cheese fries. _So many._ " She hung up the phone and sighed. She loved her partner to death, she really did, but this was just ridiculous. How do you even just  _acquire_ a guardian angel, anyway?  
  
Ten minutes later, she was back at the motel, cautiously stepping through the door. Alina was still talking to Galeniel, presumably trying to convince him that Laura didn't need any extra ventilation in her chest. Laura crossed her arms and leaned against the plaster wall, waiting for them to finish. Looking directly at Galeniel hurt her eyes and gave her that slidy vertigo feeling she'd gotten when she first saw him. It was easier to keep her perception of his true form to a manageable level if she only looked at him out of the corner of her eye. She stared a hole through the wall until Alina finished extolling her virtues to the angel, who still looked skeptical.  
  
"And you... trust her?" he finally replied, after a few moments to take it all in.  
  
Alina sighed. "Like I said, she's given me no reason to _distrust_ her and she's saved my life more times than I can remember. We've been working together for... oh, about half a year now? And in that time she's had more than enough opportunity to kill me, or maim me, or do whatever you're concerned about. And she hasn't!" She spread her arms wide. "I'm fine! I'm doing better than ever, actually. Hunters need someone to watch their back, and she's mine. And if you're going to tell me to give that support up, than you and me are going to have problems." She glared fiercely at the angel, who looked taken aback. Laura had to stifle a laugh.  
  
"We've come a long way, haven't we, princess?" Laura stepped forward and casually slung her arm around Alina's shoulders. At that simple contact, Galeniel actually stood up, knocking his chair over in the process, and suddenly a knife was in his hand that hadn't been there previously. The demon's easy smile transmuted into a bared-teeth snarl. Her hand tightened on Alina's shoulder and she shifted subtly to place her more firmly between them. Galeniel's eyes went hard and flinty, sea-green now dark with storms. All of this happened in the space of about two seconds.  
  
"What are you two doing? Laura, are you- Oh." Alina finally noticed the knife. Her eyes flicked between the two of them, assessing the situation. Before either of them could stop her, she elbowed Laura in the solar plexus and shoved her away. Laura bent double and stumbled back, grunting in surprise. Alina used the momentum from the push to propel herself towards Galeniel and grab his arm, twisting it around. Shocked, his grip loosened. She deftly slid her fingers along his and pulled the knife out of his hands, shoving herself away from him too. Laura was starting to stand up, but Alina whipped a spray bottle out of a holster on her side and the demon froze.  
  
"Whoa, Alina, what the fuck?" Laura put her hands up in the air as Alina aimed the nozzle of the spray bottle at her. "What the hell did I do?"  
  
Behind Alina, Galeniel came back to his senses. "Lady Alina, I must advise that you return my blade to me. I would prefer not to hurt you" He squinted at the spray bottle. "And pray tell, what is in that?"  
  
Alina glared at her errant partner. "It's holy water, as she well knows. Now listen up, both of you! I will give you your blade back and put this down as soon as you both _promise_ to behave yourselves!! Is that clear?"  
  
Laura grimaced. "What? Don't give that blade back, do you even know what that is?" She slowly stood up from her crouch, keeping her hands raised. "That's an _angel blade_. It can kill all sorts of creepy-crawlies, _including_ angels. And demons! I'd trust you with that particular butter knife a lot more than I'd trust _him_. You should keep it!"  
  
"Absolutely not," Galeniel replied. "That blade is only to be wielded by the most well-trained of Heaven's forces, and-"  
  
"Shut up! Both of you!" Alina's head was starting to hurt. "Nobody is doing anything until you both promise to behave!"  
  
Chagrined, Laura grumbled a promise. Galeniel's was considerably more elaborate, but it satisfied Alina enough that she handed him his blade back. She also holstered her spray bottle.  
  
"Ugh." Laura threw herself dramatically down on a chair, tossing a hand over her eyes in a mockery of a lady's swoon. "I swear, you're fucking Batman with your stupid goddamn bat-demon-spray on your asshole utility belt."  
  
The hunter snorted. "You are such a drama queen. Now, we are going to go get food, because I have had a long day. Are you coming with me?"

Two celestial beings, their unworldly power barely contained in mortal vessels, both centuries older than the hunter between them, nodded, and the demon put her jacket on.


	6. just say no (to summoning demons)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> frat boys get drunk and decide to summon a demon

Laura leaned on the horn to clear the road of tipsy college students. "Get outta the road, you damn whippersnappers!" From the backseat, she could hear Galeniel stirring restlessly, his fingers drumming on his leg like the rolling beat of a war drum. She let off the horn for a moment and then smacked it in one sharp barking honk. Glancing in the car’s mirror, she was gratified to see him jump. Heh. It was the little things that had made traveling with this douchebag worth living through for the past two weeks since he’d joined their merry band of adventurers.

She made an ancient hand gesture at a group of college kids who had decided that the middle of the goddamn road was an excellent place to have drunken karaoke and looked over at Alina. "Seriously, if we didn't have crap to haul around we could just teleport everywhere. Wouldn't that be great? No more-" She slammed on the brakes, narrowly missing some frat bro who had stumbled out into the road. "Shit!" She rolled down the window and stuck her head out. "WATCH WHERE YOU'RE WALKING, YOU FRAGILE MEAT PUPPET!!" 

Drawing her head back inside, she was about to make another smart comment to her partner when a shudder went through her. She felt like she’d been dunked in cold water and given a live wire to hold. From the back she heard Galeniel swear loudly in Enochian, which also set her teeth on edge. To a lesser extent, though, which was not a good sign. "What the hell was that?" she yelled to the car at large. 

"Goddamnit." Alina breathed out, ignoring Galeniel's eyes boring into the back of her head. Always seemed to bother him when she swore, but not when Laura did. Then again, Laura was already a demon. There was no saving her. Not that she needed saving. "That, ladies and gentlemen and other creepy-crawlies, was a low-level summoning. Someone's out there trying to talk to a demon."

She closed her eyes and braced her hand against the dashboard, focusing. "Hey, angel boy, would you stop fidgeting? I can't focus," she continued while she could. "Feels like whoever it is doesn't really know what they're doing. Can't have been practicing very long. Sloppy work."

Laura groaned. "Son of a biiiiiiitch. That is soooo not what I wanted to be doing with my time today. Can we get buffalo wings instead? I think I saw a place over there with buffalo wings."

Galeniel sniffed dismissively. "You are under no obligation to deal with this. Alina and I will be perfectly capable of handling the situation, as I dare say I am far more equipped to deal with a demon than you are."

"Ok, first of all angelboy, eat my entire ass." Laura spotted a free parking lot and maneuvered the Outback into the one unclaimed spot, crunching over several discarded red Solo cups. "Second of all," she continued, throwing the car into park, "if I can't trust you to get a pizza order straight, I cannot trust you to have Alina's back, so wherever she goes, I go. Got it?" She twisted around in her seat to lock eyes with him.

"Christo," he spat, and she felt her eyes film over crossroads-red. She snarled wordlessly at him, feeling her less human side begin to rise to the surface. With a great deal of effort she broke his gaze and twisted back around, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands. After a few seconds the red was gone, but the anger in the pit of her stomach remained.

"Galeniel! Please stop antagonizing her when she says something insulting! Use your words," Alina threw the first small object she came in contact with at him (which happened to be a tic tac box). He flinched and glared. On second thought, it was a bit of a childish reaction, but two adults, or well, two beings centuries older than she was, were fighting in a car like children, and she didn’t quite know how to handle them together, yet.

"And Laura, could you try to be a bit less, well, confrontational?" She sighed. That was a long shot. Laura would insult anything that moved.

Laura batted her lashes at her partner. "Darling, when have I ever been confrontational? It's just that two weeks of nonstop angel sermons grate on a poor demon's nerves after a while." She shot a glare at Galeniel when Alina wasn't looking, and it was returned with one of near-equal ferocity. Turning back to gaze through the window, scoping out the area, she asked "You think y'all can track where the hell that came from?" With great effort, she bit back the very rude words that were coming to mind re: Galeniel.

Alina sighed, choosing to ignore that first bit. "Yes, I think I can track it. I'll need some of the stuff from the truck, and if there's a source of running water nearby it would help greatly." She started digging through the various pockets of her messenger bag, coming back with a crystal and a ball of string. She got out of the car and headed for the trunk.

Apparently having moved past their glaring, Galeniel closed his eyes. "I hear running water near us," he said, with the air of an authority on the subject. “It shouldn't be more than a few feet away."

Laura snorted derisively. "Yeah, dipshit, that's called a fucking sewer." She pointed in front of the car to a manhole in the middle of a grassy verge. "You wanna go down there, be my guest."

"We don't have to go down there, and if we did, I'd send you or wonder-boy over there," Alina corrected, sticking her head into the trunk of the car and rooting around. "We just need to stand above it. Now someone find a map of the surrounding area. The more detailed, the better." She finally found what she was looking for, holding up a small blue bottle with an "Aha!"

Laura unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car, stretching her poor cramped joints. Demon or not, a couple hours of driving makes anyone stiff. "Does a map on my phone count? The only map of the area I've got is a state map for..." She squinted, looking around. "Is this Virginia?" She opened the Maps app and walked over to hand her phone to Alina. 

Galeniel scoffed at her, but also got out of the car, walking around to the trunk to join them. He took the duffel bag that Laura handed him. "Is this a bag of weaponry?"

Laura shrugged, rummaging around in the pile of stuff. "Some of it, but mostly it's demon-repellent. Which is why you are carrying it and not me. Even through a bag that shit makes my skin itch, and no amount of moisturizer can get rid of that feeling." She finally came up with a deflated backpack and started loading knives into it. "And if you come near me with any of that shit I'm going to punt your ass into Saskatchewan, so don't try." Finished, she straightened up. "Alina, we're all loaded up unless you want anything special."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we never really finished this one, sorry


End file.
